PLCopen starts new initiative on Object Orientation

The 3rd edition of the IEC 61131-3 standard makes Object Oriented programming possible. Parallel to this, PLCopen has defined the concept of function block libraries including object orientation, as well as sets of function blocks for motion control, safety and communication.

When one starts to program in an object oriented world, one can make many choices. Choices like: are all FBS in one Class? If so, do we need the MC_, or even the AxisRef? How do they contain the methods? And only methods, or also direct access to variables? Is the state machine for the axis controlled by the methods?

All these choices give a different look & feel to the users across the different systems, different training guidelines and differences in maintenance. And this is where PLCopen wants to help and give guidance, in order to create a more homogeneous method. A kick-off meeting took place on March 6, 2019.